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#1 Posted : 12 April 2007 07:37:00(UTC)
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Posted By Kevin_20056 hello I wondering to get some notes on "Differences between claims for negligence and claims for breach of statutory duties" cheers kevin
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#2 Posted : 12 April 2007 14:33:00(UTC)
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Posted By Alan Hoskins Hi Kevin, For the low-down on this, get a copy of Munkman on Employer's Liability from the library. Alan
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#3 Posted : 12 April 2007 15:01:00(UTC)
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Posted By Martyn Hendrie An injured party can try and get compensation by claiming that either; 1 there has been a failure by the third party to fulfil their common law duty of care; or 2 the third party has been shown to be in breach of criminal (statute) law. To be successful in 1 the injured party would have to demonstrate that a) there was a duty of care (the loss/injury was foreseeable) b) the third party did not take reasonable steps to prevent the loss/injury and c) the loss/injury occurred are a result of the failure to meet their duty of care. In the case of 2 as a breach of the criminal law (statutory duty) has been shown a) & b) are taken as a given and the claimant would only have to prove that their loss/injuries resulted from the breach of the statutory duty. I believe that there are still a few areas of criminal law where use of this legal devise is specifically prohibited. If I have stated this incorrectly I am sure other colleagues will correct me.
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#4 Posted : 12 April 2007 15:12:00(UTC)
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Posted By Kevin_20056 Hello Can anyone advise me where to get a copy of munkman please thanks kevin
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#5 Posted : 12 April 2007 15:14:00(UTC)
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Posted By Alan Hoskins Best to borrow a copy Kevin, costs around £125. Try local or university library. Alan
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#6 Posted : 12 April 2007 15:30:00(UTC)
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Posted By Alan Hoskins Kevin, There are two whole chapters about these two subjects in Munkman. Martyn is pretty much on the mark, but Negligence is proven on the balance of probabilities, whereas for a Breach of Statutory Duty, it is not usually necessary to prove 'fault'. HaSaWA does not allow a civil claim for BoSD, but Regulations made under the Act do. Hope that is helpful. Alan
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#7 Posted : 12 April 2007 15:49:00(UTC)
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Posted By Edward Shyer Not all Regulation allow a civil claim to be brought for breach of statutory duty. Certain parts of the Management Regs also prohibit a claim for breach of statutory duty. Regards Ted
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#8 Posted : 12 April 2007 15:55:00(UTC)
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Posted By Alan Hoskins Wasn't the Management Regs exclusion repealed in the 2003 amendment, Ted?
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#9 Posted : 12 April 2007 15:56:00(UTC)
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Posted By Kevin_20056 Martyn Do you notes on the claims please thanks in advance kevin
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#10 Posted : 12 April 2007 17:40:00(UTC)
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Posted By Edward Shyer Alan Amended again in 2006, Citation and commencement 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Management of Health and Safety at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 6th April 2006. Amendment to Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 2. For regulation 22 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999[5] there shall be substituted the following regulation — " Restriction of civil liability for breach of statutory duty 22. —(1) Breach of a duty imposed on an employer by these Regulations shall not confer a right of action in any civil proceedings insofar as that duty applies for the protection of a third party. (2) Breach of a duty imposed on an employee by regulation 14 shall not confer a right of action in any civil proceedings insofar as that duty applies for the protection of a third party. (3) In this regulation, "third party", in relation to the undertaking, means any person who may be affected by that undertaking other than the employer whose undertaking it is and persons in his employment.". Regards Ted
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#11 Posted : 13 April 2007 08:20:00(UTC)
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Posted By Alan Hoskins Thanks Ted, I remember that. It was a tidying up excercise though, to protect individual employees and doesn't restrict claims against the company/employer. Alan
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#12 Posted : 13 April 2007 14:16:00(UTC)
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Posted By Alan Hewett Kevin, Be aware that there is also the ability to bring a 'double-barreled' action.
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#13 Posted : 13 April 2007 19:57:00(UTC)
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Posted By Raymond Rapp Kevin I think you have misunderstood the concept of the law and therefore your question is illogical. Civils claims for injury are normally dealt with through the tort of negligence and the dutyof care principle. Statutory breaches are a criminal offence and the CPS would prosecute on behalf of the Crown. As others have mentioned save for the exception of HSWA, you can make a civil claim based on statutory breach of the regulations enacted under HSWA. Ray
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#14 Posted : 14 April 2007 22:07:00(UTC)
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Posted By Adrian Watson Raymond, With great respect Kevin's question was in respect of "Differences between claims for negligence and claims for breach of statutory duties" it is not illogical. Kevin The differences between claims for negligence and claims for breach of statutory duty is as follows. For a claim of negligence the claimant has to prove on the balance of probabilities that: The person owed them a duty of care; That the person breached that duty of care; and that injury and loss resulted from that breach of duty of care. The standard of care is that expected of a reasonable person in those circumstances. Where the person has special knowledge or experience then the standard of care is of a similar group of persons in a similar position. For negligence the issues of proximity, reasonableness and foreseeability are taken into account when determining liability. For breach of duty of care, the tests are that: The person must be a member of a class that the regulation aims to protect; and The person must suffer an injury that the regulation aims to protect against. The standard of care is that prescribed by the regulations. For example the duty imposed by the COSHH regulations is absolute. There does not have to be negligence. Reasonability and foreseeability are non issues. Regards Adrian.
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#15 Posted : 15 April 2007 06:29:00(UTC)
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Posted By Kevin_20056 Can anyone tell me what is Reasonableness and reasonable foresight
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#16 Posted : 15 April 2007 07:27:00(UTC)
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Posted By Adrian Watson Reasonableness - what is reasonable in the circumstances; Reasonable forethought - Thinking about and looking for things that may occur; not the impossible and improbable but the probable and likely. Regards Adrian
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#17 Posted : 15 April 2007 09:53:00(UTC)
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Posted By Kevin_20056 My question is how ‘reasonable care’ and ‘reasonable foresight’ might be demonstrated by an employer.
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#18 Posted : 15 April 2007 16:14:00(UTC)
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Posted By Rakesh Maharaj Kevin, By planning, and being able to evidence the planning process in its many guises e.g. project planning, scenario planning, PPMPs, action planning and so on. Presumably your next question is: What are the ramifications of a foreseeable issue arising despite there being a plan in place? My answer then, might be more orientated towards mitigation! Regards R
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